City of RP Updates

Darrin Jenkins

Founders Day celebration fun with a run and a walk

September 28, 2018

One of Rohnert Park’s finest traditions is the Annual Rohnert Park Founders Day Parade and Festival. This year’s event will be Saturday, Oct. 6th with the theme, “May the Friendly Force Be with You.” The parade begins at 10 a.m. followed by the festival at the Rohnert Park Community Center with food, beverages, including beer and wine, arts and crafts, kids’ activities and a Show and Shine Car Show.

The Founders Day 5K Fun Run and two-Mile Walk is a great way to kick off the Founders Day festivities at 8 a.m. The run/walk benefits the Middle School Athletics Booster Club (MSABC) and begins (and ends) at the Rohnert Park Community Center. The morning will include a costume contest (optional), raffle, fruit, and water at the finish line. This is an untimed event. Register at https://5k.redpodium.com/register.

Race participant bib and t-shirt pick up will take place Friday, Oct. 5th at Lawrence E. Jones Middle School, from 6-7 p.m. and on race day at the Rohnert Park Community Center from 7-7:30 a.m.

Costume judging will take place at 9 a.m.

I consider Founders Day a “not-to-be-missed” event and hope to see many residents there. For more information, email RPFoundersDayInfo@gmail.com

11 items for your Basic Disaster Kit

One simple step that we all can do today to help better prepare for tomorrow’s emergencies is to assemble a basic disaster kit. FEMA recommends that all residents have basic supplies, for at least three days, at home in the event of an emergency. We also recommend keeping a portable kit in your vehicle. Include the following key items:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation

• Non-perishable food

• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both Flashlight and extra batteries

• First aid kit

• Whistle to signal for help

• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

Visit www.ready.gov to learn more ways to be prepared for an emergency.

Improvements at the RP Senior Center

We will soon begin several improvements at the senior center. These include replacing the roof with similar materials. The cedar shingles on the sides of the roof will be replaced with a more modern looking material that requires less maintenance and better resists fire. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and it should be complete around New Years. Expect to see large debris bins and a portion of the parking lot fenced off for use by the contractor. Construction of this type can be noisy at times; we will do everything we can to minimize the impacts. The senior center will remain open during construction and all programs will continue as regularly scheduled.

We will also replace the lobby and coffee-bar area carpeting with grade vinyl plank flooring, similar to the floor in the adjacent activity room. Construction is expected to start by mid-Sept. Access to the lobby and coffee bar area will be limited during the floor replacement. The coffee bar will be temporarily relocated.

Finally, we will also replace the heating and air conditioning system.

Jump into Sportnite (take a break from Fortnight)

Do your kids enjoy the online video game Fortnight? Our Community Services Department is introducing drop-in themed sports and activities nights. Students aged 11-13 (or in 6th-8th grade) are encouraged to take a break from Fortnight and jump into Sportnite Fri. nights from 7-10 p.m. at the Sports and Fitness Center. Admission is free for Sports Center Junior members or $8 per person. All attendees must bring a valid Sports and Fitness Center membership card or Middle School ID plus a signed parent waiver, available at the sports center or online at rpcommunityservices.org

Fall Events

Oct 19 – Ultimate dodgeball

Nov 19 – Futsal Cup

Commerce Boulevard construction

The trench plates and construction signs appearing on Commerce Boulevard reflect PG&E’s replacement of several thousand feet of gas pipelines between Copeland Creek and Rohnert Park Expressway. Like the city, PG&E works to replace aging infrastructure. This project, in which most construction activity occurs at night, involves new gas mains restoration of damaged pavement and sidewalks.

Over the next three weeks, motorists should also expect some necessary daytime work. A changeable message board will be implemented within the next 7-10 days to help residents plan their activities around the upcoming work.